This invention relates generally to organ systems and, more particularly, to a stop switching system for an organ which is compact and inexpensive and which provides visual indication of the stops being played.
Usually the stops of an organ are operated by a plurality of stop tablets or draw knobs which are moved from one physical position to another to obtain a particular stop selection. The operational condition of the stops can be determined by observing the location of the tablets or draw knobs. This arrangement, while having the advantage of traditional appearance, is nonetheless somewhat bulky, expensive and cumbersome in operation.
A stop tablet control system that does not rely on the physical location of the tablets for indication of stop selection is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,157,051, wherein a multiplicity of stop tablets are pivotally supported on a tablet rail and spring biased to assume a neutral position from which they can be momentarily moved up or down against the action of the spring, and an electrical latching circuit adapted to be latched into one or the other of two stable states by a pulse produced upon momentary movement of the stop tablet. When a tablet is momentarily pushed downwardly from the neutral position the circuit is latched into a first state in which the associated stop is turned "on" and a light-emitting diode mounted on the operated stop tablet is energized, and when the tablet is moved upwardly from the neutral position the associated stop is turned "off" and the light-emitting diode is extinguished. Thus, the operational condition of the stops can be determined by observing which tablets are illuminated. This arrangement, while preserving the traditional appearance and conventional operation of organ stop switching systems, still requires the use of bulky and relatively expensive individual stop tablets.
Commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 4,023,457, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference, describes a stop control system for an organ which instead of using tablets or draw knobs, employs a plurality of touch-sensitive switches for operating a plurality of associated latching circuits. The switches are included in a panel adapted for mounting on the organ console, and are disposed in groups associated with given organ manuals or functions. Within the groups, the switches are disposed in pairs connected respectively for setting and resetting the corresponding latching circuit which operates a designated organ stop, and controls an indicating lamp disposed in proximity to the pair of touch-sensitive switches employed for operating the latching circuit, thereby indicating to the organist the condition of the particular stop. This arrangement, while permitting accommodation of a greater number of stops on a given organ console that when tablets or draw knobs are employed, does not have the appearance of traditional stop tablet controls, and the action taken by the organist in effecting stop selection is quite different, and requires greater deliberation, than when playing conventional organs.
It is a primary object of the present invention to provide an organ stop switching system which is compact, is inexpensive, and easy to manufacture, is readily accommodated to use with organ systems of different complexities, and which largely preserves the appearance and stop selection action of traditional stop tablet control systems.